


there’s something sweet and almost kind

by preludes



Category: Beauty and the Beast (1991), Disney - All Media Types, Disney Princesses, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
Genre: Character Study, F/F, Ficlet, i wrote this instead of sleepinf, musings on belle and her place in the world
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:48:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27072259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/preludes/pseuds/preludes
Summary: Belle doesn’t venture into Paris often.
Relationships: Belle/Esméralda | Esmeralda (Disney)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 34





	there’s something sweet and almost kind

**Author's Note:**

  * For [clizzyhours](https://archiveofourown.org/users/clizzyhours/gifts).



> happy birthday holly!! (this isn’t ur only gift i promise)

Belle doesn’t venture into Paris often. It’s an avoidance more out of a habit than her harbouring some secret hatred of the city; it is her birthplace, her childhood home, the house her mother died in all boarded up. She knows it will probably be burnt soon by Frollo or to make room for grazing land and she knows she should care but she can’t.

In her books, the characters would loose their homes and remain strong and clever and true. And so must she. Whenever she goes, Belle will check if their old house still stands, just in case. 

Another reason she hardly comes here is because it’s quite a long walk. Belle is no stranger to walking but Paris is at least several hours on foot although sometimes a friendly farmer from outside the village will give her a ride on the back of their hay wagon. She knows she is lucky in that regard; she has heard too many horror stories that begin with a similar scenario and end with the poor girl’s corpse being found in a ditch, in the woods, strung up like meat in a butcher’s shop. Belle is a somewhat competent horse rider but Philippe is old and tired and she knows her father cannot afford another unless his inventions sell by some miracle, so she is trying to help him survive as long as possible. 

Still, Belle’s sudden decision to venture into Paris whilst her father is away comes rather spur of the moment. She wants a new book and the bookshop owner has friends there who can help her obtain a new one. Mostly, she wants to get away from Gaston who will not stop knocking on her door in the dead of night. It scares her that he knows she is alone in that house. She doesn’t trust him to control himself.

Paris in summer is lovely. The sun shines bright above her, brighter somehow than in the village, and people smile at her as she passes without any malice. Belle had almost forgotten it; her mother had died in a bitter winter the year she turned four, and it had taken Belle a long time to try and associate Paris with anything but the plague and her mother’s grave. 

It’s by chance that Belle sees the stage being set up. She’s always liked theatre, Shakespeare being one of her favourite playwrights, but there was no theatre in the village. Belle takes a spot near the back of the crowd, close enough to have a good view but not enough to draw any attention to herself.

A girl steps on the stage and she is...mesmerising. 

“Esmerelda!” She hears someone cheer, and Belle is glad to be able to put a name to her lovely face. Belle grins to herself, claps with the audience in anticipation. 

For a second, Belle can swear that Esmerelda notices her. Winks at her, even. Belle would hide her face in her book if she weren’t worried it would smack the poor spectator beside her in the face. 

She doesn’t expect the crowd to part as Esmerelda makes her way through it. Belle allows herself to pulled into it, allows herself to go with the energy in the crowd. They are here to have fun. When was the last time Belle allowed herself to have fun except in her books? 

Esmerelda takes her from the crowd and pulls her into a dance. It’s fast paced and Belle isn’t sure what she’s doing, though she assumes she’s doing alright. Esmerelda’s hands are warm whereas her’s are covered in papercuts. It’s terrifying and exhilarating all at once. 

“Hey,” Esmerelda whispers. “You don’t mind all this, do you? Just don’t want Frollo staring at me.” 

Belle shakes her head, suddenly lost for words. All the vocabulary she had been so proud of from her books has gone. Esmerelda grins at her. 

“You’re beautiful. That old priest is a creep,” Belle mutters. 

Esmerelda laughs. Belle could listen to the sound of her laugh for the rest of her days and never grow tired of it. 

“Not a fan of God, then?”

Belle shakes her head again. Esmerelda puts a soft hand on her chin, tilting her head towards her. 

“Looks like Frollo is gonna break his chair arm with the amount of pressure he’s putting on it. Let’s give him a show. Are you up for that?”

Belle nods. “Yes!”

Esmerelda kisses her, softly, and Belle can hear the crowd’s cheering ringing in her ears like a Church choir, and Belle kisses her back.

Belle and Esmerelda dance together until the show is over, and that night Belle accompanies Esmerelda to her bed. 

When she gets up to leave the next morning, Belle finds a rose in full bloom in the grass where she and Esmerelda walked. It seems poignant. Belle turns back into Esmerelda’s arms, the rose lying in an ale glass Belle stole from a nearby bar.

The book Belle ends up buying is a newly released translation of poems by Sappho. Esmerelda laughs like she knows something, and Belle cannot wait to find out all she knows. Belle cannot wait to know Esmerelda as well as she knows tales of daring princes and magic spells; Esmerelda is better than all of that.

True, Esmerelda is no Prince Charming, but she is infinitely better than any prince could hope to be.

The second book Belle picks is one regarding the art of dancing. The third is a surprise for Esmerelda when she comes home.

Home. The village never felt like home to Belle, but maybe this place could. Paris hasn’t had the plague for years, her father has a house and his inventions, but Belle has a whole world yet to explore. 

In the end, Esmerelda teaches Belle to dance better than any book ever could. Even the goat takes a liking to her.

Belle doesn’t know exactly what the future holds for them, but she hopes it is as close to a happily ever after as it can be.

**Author's Note:**

> i love disney femslash sorry...idk how happy i am with this but i like it so. hope you did, dear reader <3


End file.
